Emma School Supply Drive a SUCCESS! | THANK YOU!

Congregations for Children (C4C) helped the students and teachers of Emma Elementary get ready for Back to School. Continuing our support of the school in many projects for many years, the School Supply Drive was a huge success.

Thank you for making the Emma School Supply Drive a great success. They are grateful for Central’s contribution. Email C4C@centralumc.org to learn more about Central’s support and work with community public schools.

Join us for a joyful and affirming interfaith worship service as we gather in celebration of love, dignity, and justice for all people. Held just before the Blue Ridge Pride Festival in downtown Asheville, this service brings together diverse faith communities in unity and hope.

Through shared prayers, music, and reflection, we will lift up the sacred worth of every person—especially our LGBTQIA+ siblings—and proclaim a message of welcome and inclusion. All are invited to attend, regardless of background or belief.

Let’s begin Pride Saturday grounded in community and grace.

This one-hour service will conclude with coffee and treats on the Central UMC lawn.

Participants include:

· Rev. Dr. Mary Brown, Senior Pastor of Central United Methodist Church

· Rev. Spencer Cullom, Associate Pastor of Wellspring Congregation

· Rev. Dr. Mack Dennis, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church

· Rev. Dr. Audette Fulbright Fulson, Lead Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, NC

· The Very Rev. Sarah Hurlbert, Dean of the Cathedral of All Souls

· Student Cantor Seth Kellam, Religious Education Director at Congregation Beth HaTephila

· Rev. Dr. Marcia Whitney Mount Shoop, Pastor of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church

· Rev. Matt Smith, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church

College Student Care Ministry

Central UMC sends our college students a note, devotional, and small gift card four times a year to remind them they’re loved. If you’d like your student included, email their current mailing address to Jan at JGriffin@CentralUMC.org by late September. First mailing goes out in October

Reading Buddies

We are excited to be able to go back to Emma Elementary this year to volunteer as Reading Buddies! We need new volunteers! Being a Reading Buddy requires about an hour of your time per week. You meet one on one with a child to listen to them read and to offer them help with their reading skills.

Training and all your materials are provided There will be a new buddy orientation in mid-September, and then the program will begin in October.

Please consider volunteering a little time to make a big difference in the life of a child! Email C4C@centralumc.org to learn more and express interest.

ABCCM Needs Your Support

There are several things that ABCCM is in need of. If you are able to provide these please leave them in the wooden ABCCM box in the Fellowship Hall. You are also always welcome to bring them to Crisis at 24 Cumberland.

We need the following items:

• Color tape that can be used to mark the sizes on clothing.
• For our men we need boxer briefs in sizes M, L and XL.
• Our men need socks also.
• With cold weather coming hoodies and winter coats would be welcome in all sizes for men and women.
• Beanies or toboggans will be needed for men and women, too.
• Sleeping bags in good shape are always in demand.
• Disposable razors, towels and washcloths are welcome. We are completely out of disposable razors.
• If you can purchase a large shampoo it will be broken up into smaller bottles.

Your efforts are appreciated. Leave the items in the wooden tub in Fellowship Hall or bring them by ABCCM at 24 Cumberland.

Ruth Circle Meeting

Tuesday, October 7 @ 10:00am

Please join the Ruth Circle members on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 10:00am at the home of Kim Everette for our United Women in Faith Ruth Circle meeting. Our guest speaker will be Karen Crutchfield, Central UMC Creation Care, for a presentation on Recycling and Beyond. At our October meeting, we will collect for the UWF World Thank Offering and will collect pasta sauce, regular and wheat pasta noodles for ABCCM. We believe love in action can change the world! For more information, please contact Kim Everette: kimeverette525@gmail.com.

Habitat Work Day

Friday, October 10 @ 8:30am

Join Pastor Mary and other Central UMC friends for a Habitat Work Day! No skills required - just a willingness to come, learn, and work with us from 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM on a Habitat work site (location will be emailed out that week). Afterward we'll have lunch together. Feel free to invite a friend who doesn't go to Central!

The Black Cultural Heritage Trail

The Black Cultural Heritage Trail honors and preserves the rich heritage of Asheville's Black community. https://bcht.exploreasheville.com/  

Sites and stories range from well-known landmarks visible in the community today to the unsung heroes and underrecognized achievements and contributions by the Black community in the past. The Black Cultural Heritage Trail survived Helene and Allies for Equity would love for you to join us in the experience!



There are 3 sections of trail opportunities. All sections are ¼ mile long and take approximately 10 minutes to walk. We have found that the Downtown Trail does require uphill travel upon return. The total time commitment for each trail group gathering should be around an hour and a half. To sign up go to CentralUMC.org/Events.

• The River Area Trail: facilitators Heather Cree and Riley Peltz, Saturday, October 11th, 10am, meet at The Grind, 346 Depot St.
• The Downtown Trail: facilitators Peter Barrett, Jim White, and Sarah White, Saturday, October 18th, 10 am, meet at Green Sage Café, 5 Broadway St.
• The Southside Trail: facilitator Sara Sterling, Saturday, October 25th, 10 am, meet at Vortex Donuts, 32 Banks Ave.

Are you ready for a weekend to relax, recharge, and reignite?

Do you need some time for spiritual renewal? 

Join us for a Journey to Joy: Blessed Not Stressed...

November 14-16, 2025

Lambuth Inn at Lake Junaluska 

Click Here for more information or go to LakeJunaluska.com/joy.

I look forward to worshipping, laughing, and learning together.

See you at the Lake!

Leigh

Leigh W. Young